Letter #
56 - Jan Rubinghís former pastor in Wildervank moved to Michigan in 1879, as a
widower, but has returned to Wildervank for a visit with his (new) wife.

Janís
mother Mettje tells him of Janís plans to marry.

Wildervank,
August 23, 1882

Dearly loved son and little daughter,

I take up my pen in order to write you a little
letter in the hope that you and your little children may receive it in good
health. Through the undeserved goodness of the Lord we also find ourselves right
now in fairly good bodily health.

Perhaps recently you received some other news as
well as the money and the last letter, to which I hope you responded promptly.
We havenít yet received it because of the time needed. Today is Wednesday,
August 2, ....., the news is that the money has been transferred. Then I hope
that the amount that comes to you from Uncle Berend Rubing may also be sent over
because the plan is that it will be paid out on August 25. They had told us that
it could easily be held up a month or two because there was a claim laid on from
Aunt Durkieís side.

I wrote you about that earlier, but perhaps itís
been settled. So it may go faster now, but how much it will be, and if it will
be more or less, is for us still a riddle. I fear that a lot will be deducted.

Dominee and Juffrouw Kuiper have left Wildervank
again. They were here 4 or 5 days, but not by us but by the Schoolmaster. We can
almost not understand how that happened because you wrote us that they planned
to be by us. Even if they planned that all by themselves it would have been fine
with us and we would have planned on it. But when they arrived he went to Derk
Joosten and he had one thing or another about the congregation and they went to
the Schoolmaster. They are great friends.

So Dominee was there about three hours and then
he came to us. Joosten came along and you can imagine that we did not much care
for that! People want to discuss (personal) things and prefer to be alone.
Dominee and Juffrouw drank coffee with us and then we spoke a little with
Dominee. It was good because we had not yet said anything about (your plan to)
marry. It was good that we did. We think Dominee would also caution you, because
he said that it would not be easy for you to find someone that would fit well
with you. Sometimes I think that to find a woman so that all would go well is
going to be difficult. Oh my dear, may the Lord make it all come out well! If my
strength would permit it, I would so much want to come over to you!

Now I hope, my dear, that you will write us once
how it goes with you and your little children and your wifeís family, whether
you find it good and how it goes with the old people with whom you are now. You
can imagine, my dear, that you are not often out of my thoughts and if you
decide, my dear, to come over here with your children, we would have to search
for something (for you), but it could also go well. We often do not know what is
best. How our paths here are often in darkness! Oh that the Lord may be our
Counsel and Guide on all our ways!

Today it is stormy weather here, but Detmer has
come in. Hendrik and Griet were well as of last week, but her littlest one,
Jonkje, was quite sick. I must give you her greetings. Does Dominee write you
how things go here in the congregation? I believe that he had a letter in
America from Wildervank. I wonder if he will share such things with you. They
are now in ______. As long as they were in Wildervank they were just a little
___ on a ____; they were far too busy. We hope that if it is the Lordís will and
we live that we will write you again. I must close by wishing for you the
indispensable blessing of the Lord for soul and body. Now I remain your loving
Mother,

M. J. Boer

Be greeted above all by Heichiena. If you can,
write us back how it goes with you. Be greeted once more! You better just read
this again, because I canít do it any better.